1.03ct RAVISHING PURPLISH BLUE TANZANITE

1.03ct Ravishing Purplish Blue Tanzanite

Tanzanite, a variety of zoisite, was discovered in the Merelani district of Tanzania near Mount Kilimanjaro in 1967. So far, all tanzanite discovery has been limited to a six kilometer strip in this area, which was divided into four blocks, labeled A, B, C and D. Block C is the only site still commercially producing rough tanzanite at this time. Almost all purple and blue varieties of the stone are the result of heat treatment. The stone is a yellowish-brown "bug juice" color when it is mined, but when heated to between 426.7-482.2 degrees Celsius, it becomes that gorgeous violet blue that is used in jewelry. The stone has never been found in another locality, so it is indeed a depleting resource. It is somewhat soft (6-7 on Mohs scale of hardness) and has a direction of cleavage along which it can be easily broken. It is desirable because of its elegant, opulent color.